All manner and variety of absorbent articles configured for the absorption of body fluids such as menses, urine and feces are well known. Absorbent articles, particularly sanitary napkins, having wings or flaps are disclosed in the literature and are available in the marketplace.
Generally, the flaps of such absorbent articles extend laterally from a central absorbent means and are intended to be folded around the edges of a wearer's undergarment in the crotch region. Thus, in use the flaps are disposed between the edges of the wearer's undergarment in the crotch region and the wearer's thighs. Commonly, the flaps are provided with an attachment means for affixing the flaps to the underside of the wearer's undergarment. The flaps serve at least two purposes. First, the flaps prevent exudates which otherwise would soil the edges of the wearer's undergarment from doing such. Second, the flaps help stabilize the napkin from shifting out of the position chosen by the wearer. This is especially so when the flaps are affixed to the underside of the undergarment.
Sanitary napkins having flaps of the various types are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,478, entitled "Shaped Sanitary Napkin With Flaps," which issued to Van Tilburg on Aug. 18, 1987, U.S. Pat. No. B1 4,589,876, entitled "Sanitary Napkin," which issued to Van Tilburg on May 20, 1986 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,389,094 entitled "Absorbent Article Having Flaps and Zones of Differential Extensibility," which issued to Lavash et al. on Feb. 14, 1995.
While there are a great many variations in the specific structural features of absorbent articles, they are frequently presented to the consumer in the same manner. Essentially, the absorbent article, irrespective of what specific structural features are used, is packaged in a box or bag from which the consumer withdraws the ready-to-use articles as needed. If the consumer needs only one article for later use, the consumer must take precautions to protect the article from soiling or contamination from the time it is removed from the box or bag until the article is used. This is a particular problem with respect to catamenial pads. For example, if a woman wishes to carry a catamenial pad with her for use away from home, she would have to take precautions to insure that the pad was not damaged or soiled when carried in her purse or pocket.
The protection of individual absorbent articles has been addressed in the prior art. Bandages, for example, are commonly packaged individually and sold to the consumer in some sort of container which holds a convenient number of the individually packaged articles. Catamenial pads have likewise been individually packaged and sold to the consumer in a container holding a convenient number of the individually packaged articles. U.S. Pat. No. 2,750,033 entitled "Napkin Packaging" which issued to J. B. Pickens on Jun. 12, 1956 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,973,567 entitled "Wrapped Sanitary Napkins" which issued to S. S. Srinivasan et al. on Aug. 10, 1976 disclose examples of individually packaged sanitary napkins. Although these wrappers protect the enclosed sanitary napkin, they require a quantity of wrapper material which is sufficient to cover the entire surface area of each napkin when it is exposed in a fully open position.
Other attempts at protecting individual absorbent articles have reduced the quantity of wrapper material required for the protection of each absorbent article. Notably, U.S. Pat. No. 4,556,146 entitled "Individually Packaged Disposable Absorbent Article" which issued to Swanson et al. on Dec. 3, 1985 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,993 entitled "Sanitary Napkin with Individual Self Wrapping Means" which issued to Gaur on Feb. 18, 1992 disclose examples of individually packaged catamenial pads which require wrapping material sufficient to cover only one major surface (i.e. either the body facing side or the garment facing side) of the sanitary napkin and material sufficient to extend a distance beyond each edge of that one major surface to allow protection of the sanitary napkin in a folded position. These publications, however, do not disclose arrangements for packaging absorbent articles having flaps.
The flaps of such sanitary napkins may be folded to conserve space during packaging, i.e., the period between manufacture of the sanitary napkin and its intended first use by the wearer. At the time of the first use by the wearer, the flaps are usually unfolded to facilitate installation of the sanitary napkin into the wearer's undergarment. Consequently, when the wearer installs the sanitary napkin into the undergarment, the sanitary napkin is typically in the wearing position, with the topsheet facing the wearer, while the wearer manipulates the flaps and any associated protective adhesive cover (or release strip). There can be an inconvenience associated with manipulating flaps and any associated release strip when the flaps are folded over the backsheet. Flaps folded over the backsheet are behind and obscured by the sanitary napkin, so that the flaps cannot be seen while the wearer is attempting to install the sanitary napkin to the undergarment. Also, flaps folded over the backsheet may have a tendency to become adhered to the adhesive fastener on the backsheet, unless held apart. Furthermore, such configuration leaves the body facing surface open to contamination.
Problems arise with the traditional means for protecting such attachment means of an absorbent article's flaps, such as protective strips. Problems arise with the care that must be taken when removing these protective strips so that the flaps do not inadvertently adhere to each other or another part of the product as the protective strips are being removed. The user must, therefore, carefully handle the absorbent article when removing the protective strips. Additionally, the user must then properly dispose of the various protective strips to prevent them from becoming litter.
Other attempts to protect the attachment means of the flaps such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,701,178 entitled "Sanitary Napkins with Flaps" which issued to Glaug et al. on Oct. 20, 1987, have incorporated the protective strips of the flaps with a protective strip used to cover the adhesive that secures the main body of a sanitary napkin to the wearer's undergarment. Problems arise with this configuration in that the wearer must take care not to damage the flaps or tear the protective strip when removing the protective strip from the sanitary napkin. Additionally, the typical problems with having flaps in a backsheet facing orientation (as discussed above) are experienced with this configuration.
Therefore, a primary object of the present invention is to provide an individual wrapper for an individual absorbent article that has flaps which have fasteners thereon wherein the wrapper overlays only one major surface of the absorbent article and covers the fasteners on the absorbent article's flaps.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a wrapper for an individual absorbent article that has flaps having fasteners thereon, wherein the function of all protective elements for the fasteners are incorporated into the wrapper of the absorbent article.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a wrapper for an individual absorbent article that has flaps having fasteners thereon, wherein the wrapper is comprised of a single piece.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a wrapper for an individual absorbent article that has flaps having fasteners thereon, wherein the wrapper is configured to protect flap attachment means which are folded over the body facing topsheet of the absorbent article when the central pad adhesive element can be attached to the wearer's undergarment.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a wrapper for an individual absorbent article that has flaps employing attachment means, wherein the wrapper and all protective elements may be removed from the absorbent article with one motion.
These and other objects of the present invention will be more readily apparent when considered in reference to the following description and when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.